His funeral today will mark a truly heroic explorer. A legend. Conquering Everest at the age of 33 with Sherpa Tensing Norgay is one of the achievements of the twentieth century, and helps to define the age that we live in today. He also raced to the South Pole later in his life. The world is poorer in his absence, and our thoughts are with his family.

The Economist noted: 'Few men who find themselves cast as heroes early in life continue to command universal esteem till the end. Sir Edmund Hillary was one.'

In an interview for Time magazine in 2003 he said: I'm sure the feeling of fear, as long as you can take advantage of it and not be rendered useless by it, can make you extend yourself beyond what you would regard as your capacity. If you're afraid, the blood seems to flow freely through the veins and you really do feel a sense of stimulation. If you can summon up your determination and motivation to overcome the fear, you seem to have more energy to tackle the problem and overcome it.

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